CIL Cup: Kalpana Trust, Ramnagar High School crowned zonal champions
Synopsis
Kalpana Trust (men) and Ramnagar High School Bahrampur (women) were crowned champions at the CIL Cup's Krishnanagar zonal stage. Both teams won their finals 4-3 in penalty shootouts and have qualified for the semifinals to be held in Purulia.
Kalpana Trust and Ramnagar High School Bahrampur were crowned men’s and women’s champions, respectively, at the Krishnanagar zonal stage of the CIL Cup, an initiative of Coal India Limited. Both teams have qualified for their respective semifinals, which will be held in Purulia. In the men’s zonal final, Kalpana Trust defeated Baduria DKM 4-3 in a penalty shootout to secure the title and book its place in the semifinals. A total of 11 teams participated in the men’s competition. Mejia FC finished third, while Chandmonidas Residential Football Academy secured fourth place. Pritam Maity was named the 'Player of the Match', as per a press release.
Women's Final Sees Ramnagar High School Triumph
In the women’s zonal final, Ramnagar High School Bahrampur defeated Habiba Sporting Club 4-3 in a penalty shootout to claim the title and qualify for the semifinals in Purulia. Four teams participated in the women’s competition. Basirhat St. XI Football Coaching Centre finished third, while Kalpana Trust took fourth place. Sultana Rijia was named the Player of the Match.
CIL Cup's Impact on Grassroots Football
The Krishnanagar zonal stage marked the next step in the CIL Cup pathway, with the men’s and women’s champions progressing from the zonal competition to the semifinal stage. The tournament is providing teams from across West Bengal with a structured route to advance through successive levels of competition.
Through the CIL Cup, Coal India Limited continues to support grassroots football by creating organised opportunities for players to compete, showcase their abilities and progress to higher stages of the tournament. The CIL Cup is a grassroots football initiative supported by Coal India, aimed at promoting football at the grassroots level and creating opportunities for talent identification and development.
The league phase features 1,400 teams, more than 1,302 matches and over 21,000 men and women players, providing a wide platform for emerging footballers to compete and showcase their potential. The Grand Finale will be held in the last week of October in Purulia, with total prizes worth Rs 10 lakh. (ANI)